French Box Subscription Box Review – February 2015

I just got notice that my new Frenchbox has shipped and should be here tomorrow.

I’m so disappointed by this company. I’ve tried to contact them by email and facebook with no response. I’m upset that I subscribed and haven’t gotten a single item from them nor a response. I even tried to dispute the charge my my CC after TWO months of not getting any items or hearing back from them and apparently their website made it so that there is no evidence that I ever even ordered any (wtf?!?) and no promised delivery date…so in other words, I can’t even get my money back. I feel bad for those who bought a year long subscription.

Shady, shady company.

I don’t subscribe to French Box, but I do follow it on MSA. After reading these posts, all I can say is if you are looking for a consciously curated beauty box with high-quality items & ingredients, head on over to Petit Vour! The name is French — the box is not 🙂 but it’s really lovely and consistent. Totally my favorite subscription box. And no, I have no affiliation with PV, I just really like what they’re doing. xx

I received a subscription to French Box from my children for Christmas and enjoyed January’s contents very much. When February’s box arrived I was horrified to see the beat up Loreal lipstick and serum from China, and a few other dollar store items. Definitely not worth the money. I don’t want to hurt my daughter’s feelings, but I think canceling is the way to go.

where are they getting this stuff??! Its so old, not to mention last month’s puke green nail polish could have been bought at cvs.

I just got mine the mail and opened it. (I had avoided looking at the review for this months box before hand.) This was my first french box, I was really excited after seeing the reviews for the past boxes, I just got a new job and finally was able to afford it. How disapointing! This box was terrible. I can’t decide if I should cancel the subscription now, or give it another monts try.
Seriously though, what a let down! Lorel, bath beads and a nail file? What a joke!

They just posted on Facebook a warning not to use the serum (either one) or the lipstick, and that they are working on a solution to make this right for their February subscribers.

I cancelled my subscription last month but too late to avoid getting this box. As far as I’m concerned this might be the worst box I have received. Period.

Boy oh Boy am I SO GLAD I cancelled this sub last month. They started out so strong too. I hope they get their act together or they will have NO subscribers left which is a shame.

I bought a subscription as a gift for a friend who adores France and I am mortified. This was to be her first box. After seeing the contents, I’m not quite sure what to do or if I can cancel a gift subscription. I feel that I need to make a pre-emptive phone call to my friend now 🙁

I haven’t seen my box yet but it sounds beyond disappointing. I had felt that French Box had been improving and now this. I just returned from Paris and there are plenty of things that could have been purchased for their boxes especially on a wholesale basis. I just can’t imagine the thought process that went into this box. I signed up for an annual at the beginning so I hope this isn’t the beginning of the end.

I am just stunned…..that this is the same company that put out the fabulous October box that I loved, Sothys, and lovely soaps and herbs….it just doesn’t seem possible.
Even the less than stellar November box had some nice items, the high end face mask and the coffee.
I’m so sorry for everyone that got this I can understand your disappointment. Have faith though, French Box did come through for the November box and sent out those pretty compact mirrors so I believe they will want to fix this.
I just can’t shake the feeling that they maybe have run out of funding? any thoughts? I just don’t know how else to explain this.

I cancelled after the December box and by then that was like my fourth FB. The contents was anyways hit or miss and some of it I couldn’t even give away. I saw the January review and thought for a second to renew but this confirmed my decision to cancel. Thanks Liz.

I am so disappointed to see this- I bought the January box as a gift for a friend, only to be told that they accidentally oversold it. Not only was my gift late, but now I find out that it is expired and old? How embarrassing!

One thing that is interesting to me is the fact that a company or people within a company would be so naive as to think this could ‘pass’. Years ago, without the internet to quickly search out the information about these products and their expiration…maybe. Yes, people would have suspicions about the lipstick packaging and such. But there would not be the ability to quickly check it out online. So people may wonder and a few might call the various parent companies and find out. But there also would not have been the ability to readily and widely spread the information that they learned. In this era, there is absolutely no possibility that this information would not be learned and then disseminated all over the web in a matter of hours or a day at most. Everyone who has the ability to order a box online has access to Google. At the very least the questionable products will be entered into Google. And if nothing comes up, that’s a huge red flag. But beyond that, many people have what I call ‘super sleuth internet ability’. I’m not one of them but those folks can find out anything. If it’s out there, they can find it; even if it was subsequently taken down, they can still find it.

So, really, who are they trying to kid and why?

Also, how foolish to receive many, many emails of complaint and not make a beeline over to Facebook to see what’s being put out there for all to see–and address it quickly. Although I have found customer support at French Box to be quick and good in my experience, they absolutely do not seem to understand the give and take between a company and it’s customers on social media. And that is to their detriment.

I have a year long subscription so I hope this was a one-time aberration and that there will be some way to rectify this with everyone.

wow, smh. That l’oreal lipstick looks just like the stuff they carry at the dollar store when it gets bought out from old drugstores.

Wow… reading this, I feel bad for those who had hopes for good things from this box and were let down so unfairly, and I also feel glad that we have here an outlet to share and express these things to others who understand and can help prevent future disappointments.
It goes without saying, but I do want to acknowledge and thank Liz for creating this forum for us and for your honest reviews.
On another note, I wonder if the whole sub box is now getting to that saturation point, where the start ups just can’t contend or keep up?? At some point, it feels like we can no longer trust the obscure, surprise type sub box companies for fear of being duped without recourse… no returns, just send us your money and we’ll send you whatever we want, regardless of how we advertise, describe or market it and regardless of whether we send you the same value or products as we send to those who we know will blog/affiliate with and for us.
Feels like they’re on the verge of taking advantage of us and the fun sub box trend… and we as consumers have to just sadly shake our heads and tell them this is why we can’t have nice things. ;-p.
/rant over… happy Lunar New Year everyone 🙂

JanMarie-so the products are expired. Can you post this to Facebook (I don’t have an account) so that people are aware that they are using expired products…not only does that not sound legal but unhealthy!

I too received an automated BS response from Ben.

I also received a written confirmation from Alexis Cosmetic (they were not aware of the sale) that the Serum Excel Radiance has been discontinued 3 years ago and NOT to use it. They have also advised to request a REFUND.

DO NOT USE THE SERUM EXCEL RADIANCE!

I looked on http://www.checkcosmetics.net and discovered my lipstick was made in October 2012 and the nail stickers in June 2012. Both gave a 2 year expiration date (a jar symbol with a 24 on it). I have no idea how to check the serum. Is it legal to sell expired products? I’m so disappointed.

All I received was an apology from customer service. They are sorry that I am unhappy with my box. Took no responsibility whatsoever and did not address product questions.

I had no problem cancelling on their website and got the “I’m sorry to see you leave” email back. I’d give them a call if you are having issues with their website
Trying to cancel Try the World—- no luck so far

This Feb box was my first French box and will be my last – I have the same issues and concerns as others noted here – no ingredients listed, the nail stickers are from Korea, the serum from China and the bath beads could be from anywhere as nothing is listed, and I my lipstick packaging looks very old too.
I contacted them via email asking for a refund but no one has gotten back to me, and I tried calling but no answer.
If I do not hear from them by Monday I am disputing the charge with my credit card company as I feel this was misleading marketing at the least!

This is my first box, and I stupidly purchased a year long subscription. It looks like they raided a dollar store for this month’s contents. I could not be more disappointed in its contents.

It feels like Frenchbox gave a response to this via Whitney. I know they are aware of these comments because people have said they have emailed the link. I wish they would address this via their home page or Facebook..or email. We shall see!